Diotimos Library · Renaissance Collection · Bilingual Edition
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
The 1599 German text with a new English translation, introduction, glossary, and notes.
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Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 73
Early New High German
p. 73Krafft (wie sie reden) fewrischer weise in der Lufft / von oben herab / vnd gleisfalls bleibe ein Same desselbigen / jrrdischer art / auff dem Wasser / wie man Magicè am Pfawenschwantz / Chymicè am Stahl Schweffel siehet. Ein solch ding / sprechen sie / soll Lapidis Philosophorum Catholici materia Catholica sein. Es hat gewißlich eine andere meinung / mit der materia Vniuersali vnnd Pfawenschwantz der Philosophorum / als wie jhr euch disfals lasset bedüncken.
Ein solches Solutum Argenti vel auri aber wird / zu vorgesatztem Ende / nur alleine das rechte gewündschte sein / welches durch vnd mit MATEria METallorum PRIMa Naturgemeß verrichtet / vnd zu wege bracht worden ist: Sintemal / nach Lehre aller wahren Philosophorum, reductio
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 73Power (as they say) fire-wise in the Air, from above downward, and that likewise a Seed of the same, of earthy kind, remains upon the Water — as one sees it Magically in the Peacock’s tail, Chymically in the Sulphur of Steel. Such a thing, they say, is to be the Catholic matter of the Catholic Stone of the Philosophers. It has assuredly another meaning, with the Vniuersal matter and the Peacock’s tail of the Philosophers, than you let yourselves imagine in this matter.
Such a Dissolved thing of Silver or of gold will, however, for the purpose set down, be the right and wished-for thing only when it has been performed and brought about Nature-conformingly by and with THE FIRST MATTER OF METALS: since, by the teaching of all true Philosophers, the reduction
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Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 73
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum argues that alchemy has one universal subject, that this subject cannot be extracted from the metals, and that nothing in the work can begin without recognizing it. This complete reader begins with the supplied seven-part introduction and orientation, then presents every printed page of the 1599 German treatise opposite its new English translation.
Historical Text and Translation
The German reading text is a fresh diplomatic transcription from 600 dpi images of the Magdeburg copy printed by Johann Bötcher in 1599. It preserves Khunrath’s capitalization, word division, authorial marginal keys, glosses, errata, and three unnumbered closing pages: the errata leaf, owl emblem, and colophon.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared the new English translation, introduction, notes, glossary, collation, and editorial apparatus. The translation follows Khunrath directly, retaining his technical vocabulary, changes of register, repetitions, rhetorical questions, and distinctions between German, Latin, and coined terms.
Rights
Heinrich Khunrath’s 1599 German work is in the public domain. The 2026 English translation, introduction, notes, glossary, editorial arrangement, and related matter are original to this edition and remain © 2026 Diotimos.